Spain

Playa De Las Americas Travel Guide

Playa de las Americas is Tenerife's largest tourist playground,
a purpose-built hedonistic haven for holidaymakers of all ages who
come here for fun in the sun from all over the world. The resort is
situated in the south of the island near the Tenerife South Airport
(Reina Sofia Airport). It has grown vastly during its 30 years of
existence and now covers three different zones: the original Playa
de las Americas, San Eugenio, and Toviscas. There are three natural
beaches in the resort area and three man-made ones, all covered
with dark volcanic sand and extremely crowded during the summer
season. The las Americas beaches are linked by a long promenade,
which winds along the busy waterfront, backed by dozens of
high-rise hotels and holiday apartment blocks. A mini train runs
around the resort stopping at scheduled points every hour, and
there are plenty of free buses to assist visitors in getting
around, making the most of the Playa de las Americas many bars,
entertainment venues, shops and sports facilities. Don't expect to
soak up much authentic Canarian culture while holidaying at Playa
de las Americas, but for those who enjoy the hullaballoo of a
packaged, carefree summer vacation, the resort will exceed
expectations.

There is a vast array of shops in Playa de las Americas and
holidaymakers can indulge in the delights of duty-free shopping in
the numerous electrical stores and clothing shops. Shoppers should
be aware that salesmen can be quite aggressive - bargain hard and
remember that the shop next door probably sells the same stuff. The
supermarkets offer most of the well-known brands, many imported to
cater for the British tourists. Those in the mood for some haggling
should go shopping in Las Americas Torviscas Market (Thursday and
Saturday from 10am); there are great bargains to be had and it's
perfect for presents, but shoppers should get there early as it can
get very crowded. A trip to Santa Cruz (one hour by bus) is
worthwhile for those looking for designer clothes.

Playa de las Americas has top-rated restaurants in which
holidaymakers can dine, including favourites like Montana, Vista
Sur, Meson Castellano, Mei Shi Xuan and Da Angelo. There are
restaurants in las Americas catering for every taste; along the
seafront are dozens of fast food stalls and restaurants advertising
English breakfasts and Sky TV, and international dishes of all
varieties are also offered including Indian, Chinese, Italian, and
excellent tapas and local Canary Islands cuisine. Many of the
better restaurants are located in the Torviscas areas and in the
neighbouring resort of Los Cristianos. There are also some nice
restaurants overlooking the marina in Puerto Colon.

With more nightclubs than some British cities and some of the
best nightlife in Tenerife, las Americas is a honey pot for those
looking for more of a nocturnal holiday. The area known as The
Patch is the best place to start the evening as most of las
Americas' bars are located within easy walking distance. The Patch
also has a fine choice of nightspots and most bars have a happy
hour or two. The most popular are Rags and Linekers, dance bars
that play a good mix of Pop, R&B, Dance and 80s party music.
Many of the bars also have good live music. Later on, the Veronicas
complex and the Starco Commercial Centre are the places to head to
for a good party. The streets are packed with revellers until the
early hours, particularly during the busy summer months. Tramps is
the largest club on the island and very popular. There are also two
casinos at the resort.

Las Americas has entertainment for visitors and holidaymakers of
all ages including tennis courts, amusement arcades, bowling, water
parks and go-karting, as well as all sorts of water sports which
can be arranged from the beaches, including jet skiing,
windsurfing, scuba diving and banana boat rides. Some popular
things to do in las Americas include bungee jumping at the Sky Park
and swimming with dolphins at the Aqua Park. There is an 18-hole
golf course on the way to Los Cristianos and horse and camel riding
can be arranged nearby. Boat trips leave regularly and bottlenose
dolphins and whales are often seen. Other popular excursions
include a trip to the capital, Santa Cruz, and to the Mount Teide
National Park.

The resort is built on the side of a hill and many apartments
require a steep walk up from the beach. The accommodation near the
centre can be very noisy until the early hours. There are hundreds
of touts trying to sell you everything from trinkets to timeshare
apartments - it's best to be firm but polite and avoid getting into
a conversation with them. There are promotions staff outside the
bars and restaurants who are also quite insistent, but it can be
worth chatting them up as they sometimes offer free drinks. Be
aware of con artists; don't accept scratch cards or play cards from
anyone on the beach.